MICHAEL AUSTIN

austory@yahoo.com

Michael Austin is a writer in Chicago and the managing editor of Jesuits magazine for the USA Midwest Province. Currently, he seeks representation for his debut novel manuscript JOLIET MOON, which received support from the Illinois Arts Council. His writing has appeared in dozens of consumer and literary publications, including Esquire, GQ, Outside, Puerto del Sol and The Madison Review. A former nationally syndicated columnist (The Pour Man) for the Chicago Tribune, he collaborated with Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef, Art Smith, on BACK TO THE FAMILY (Thomas Nelson), and with Dr. Dean Ornish on THE SPECTRUM (Ballantine Books). He’s also been a finalist in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest.

In addition to writing, Austin teaches bodhran, the Irish traditional drum, at the Old Town School of Folk Music. He has performed with some of the world’s most renowned Irish musicians, including Liz Carroll, Laurence Nugent, Liz Knowles (Riverdance), Maurice Lennon (Stockton's Wing), Dennis Cahill (Hayes & Cahill), Deirdre Scanlan and John Williams (Solas), Katie Grennan and Kathleen Keane (Gaelic Storm), Jimmy Keane (Green Fields of America, Bohola, The Irish Rovers) and Carlos Nunez, affectionately known as "the 7th Chieftain."